MCP support

AlignTrue supports Model Context Protocol (MCP) configuration across 14+ AI coding agents. MCP enables AI agents to connect to external tools, data sources, and services through a standardized protocol.

What is MCP?

Model Context Protocol allows AI agents to:

Access external tools and resources
Integrate with project-specific services
Extend agent capabilities beyond training data
Connect to custom APIs and data sources

AlignTrue automatically generates agent-specific MCP configuration files from your rules, ensuring consistent tool access across your development workflow.

Supported MCP agents

AlignTrue exports MCP configuration for 14 agents across 6 format types:

JSON-based MCP configurations

Agent	Exporter	Config File	Notes
GitHub Copilot	`vscode-mcp`	`.vscode/mcp.json`	VS Code integration
Cursor	`cursor-mcp`	`.cursor/mcp.json`	Cursor-specific setup
Claude Code	`root-mcp`	`.mcp.json`	Root-level config
Aider	`root-mcp`	`.mcp.json`	Shared with Claude Code
Windsurf	`windsurf-mcp`	`.windsurf/mcp_config.json`	Windsurf-specific format
Amazon Q	`amazonq-mcp`	`.amazonq/mcp.json`	AWS integration
Firebase Studio	`firebase-mcp`	`.idx/mcp.json`	Firebase IDX platform
KiloCode	`kilocode-mcp`	`.kilocode/mcp.json`	KiloCode-specific
Roo Code	`roocode-mcp`	`.roo/mcp.json`	Roo Code format
Amp	`amp-mcp`	`.amp/settings.json`	Project-level settings
AugmentCode	`augmentcode-mcp`	`.augment/settings.json`	Augment platform
Kiro	`kiro-mcp`	`.kiro/settings/mcp.json`	Kiro settings directory

YAML-based MCP configurations

Agent	Exporter	Config File	Notes
Goose	`goose-mcp`	`.goose/config.yaml`	YAML format for extensions
Trae AI	`traeai-mcp`	`trae_config.yaml`	Project root (git-ignored)

Special MCP handling

Agent	Exporter	Config File	Notes
Junie	`junie-mcp`	`.junie/mcp/mcp.json`	Directory-based MCP structure

Central MCP configuration

AlignTrue uses a centralized MCP configuration in .aligntrue/config.yaml:


mcp:
  servers:
    - name: aligntrue
      command: npx
      args: ["-y", "@aligntrue/cli", "mcp-server"]
    - name: custom-tool
      command: python
      args: ["./tools/custom-mcp.py"]
      env:
        API_KEY: "${process.env.CUSTOM_API_KEY}"

This central definition is transformed into agent-specific formats automatically.

Exporter capabilities

Each MCP exporter:

Reads from centralized config in .aligntrue/config.yaml
Generates agent-specific MCP JSON/YAML format
Includes content hash for determinism
Supports fidelity notes for partial compatibility
Handles vendor-specific MCP extensions

Configuration schema

MCP servers require:

name (required): Unique identifier (e.g., aligntrue)
command (required): Executable command (e.g., npx, python, node)
args (optional): Command arguments as array
env (optional): Environment variables as object
disabled (optional): Temporarily disable without removing config

Format differences

JSON vs YAML

JSON-based (most agents):

Consistent structure across platforms
Easier parsing and validation
Direct MCP protocol representation

YAML-based (Goose, Trae):

Human-readable format
Easier manual editing
Agent-specific customizations

Project-level only

By design, AlignTrue writes MCP configuration only to project-level files:

.vscode/mcp.json (not global VS Code settings)
.cursor/mcp.json (not global Cursor config)
.goose/config.yaml (not global ~/.config/goose/config.yaml)

This approach:

Keeps rules version-controlled and reviewable
Enables team collaboration on shared MCP config
Prevents machine-specific drift
Works with monorepos and scoped rules

If you need global MCP configuration, copy the project-level file to your global config location manually.

Fidelity notes

When MCP features cannot be fully represented, exporters include fidelity notes:


{
  "fidelity_notes": [
    "Section 'Performance': machine-checkable checks not represented in MCP format"
  ]
}

These notes indicate:

Information loss during export
Unsupported features for this agent
Recommendations for manual customization

Determinism

All MCP exports are deterministic:

Same input (rules + config) → identical MCP JSON
Content hash included for verification
Order preserved across exports
Reproducible across machines and CI

Agent Support - Full compatibility matrix
AI Agent Guide - Quick reference for all agents
Sync Behavior - How MCP configs sync
MCP Protocol - Official MCP specification